Individuals who endured sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have voiced renewed hope after their first meeting with the new Pope at the Vatican.
Gemma Hickey, who leads the anti-abuse organization, commented that the Pope's choice to engage with them so soon in his leadership sent a strong message about his commitment to addressing the problem.
Global Zero-Tolerance Policy Advocated
The group is advocating for a worldwide zero-tolerance policy that would defrock any priest who admits to or is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor. This approach has been implemented in the United States.
The Pontiff recognized that there is "resistance in certain regions of the globe" to this proposal, according to Hickey.
"We were all being realistic when we acknowledged that there is pushback," they stated.
Legacy Issue
The new Pope, who assumed the role in May, has inherited this longstanding issue that has plagued the Church for decades.
Previous efforts to resolve the situation included an unprecedented summit on paedophilia within the institution and changes to canon law to clearly outlaw sexual abuse.
Deeply Felt Connection
For the representative, who prefers they/them pronouns, the campaign for worldwide adoption of the measure is personal. The Canadian activist revealed they were abused by a clergy member who was later transferred between various churches.
"We trust this will establish the direction for his leadership, because we want to collaborate with him," they stated. "We have the same goal, we seek to eliminate clergy abuse."
Significant Meeting
Multiple representatives of the coalition, which includes survivors and supporters from more than 30 countries, engaged with the Pontiff in his Vatican office.
The discussion, initially planned for 20 minutes, extended to a full hour, during which the Pope "primarily heard to us," according to the representative.
The pontiff was described as "quite empathetic" when listening to the story of a woman victimized at a church-run institution for native youth in Canada.
Hickey added the Pope was "compassionate" about their personal story and seemed "very humble, humorous, and very down to earth."
"Victims have consistently sought a voice in discussions and I didn't feel like he was making empty promises," Hickey stated. "I believed like he was sincere, practical, and very open and keen to work with us."
Church Regulations Changes
The organization is hoping that changes to church regulations will facilitate the implementation of the strict approach globally.
They have spoken with experts and compiled materials that they plan to present to the pontiff.
"He appeared engaged in reviewing it," Hickey remarked.
Responsibility Highlighted
A recent church-ordered document emphasized the "necessity of a efficient process for the resignation and/or dismissal of Church leaders or personnel in cases of misconduct or failure to act."
The report also pointed out that survivors consistently emphasized the "urgent need for church leaders and senior officials to be held accountable for negligence and cover-up."
Path Ahead
Hickey shared they told the pontiff at the start of their meeting: "This represents as much a risk for him to participate in a conversation as it was for us."
After the encounter, they expressed hope for progress.
"We realise it's not something that's going to be resolved quickly, but at the conclusion, uniting and establishing a relationship and continuing to strengthen that relationship is a step in the correct path," they stated.
Hickey added that they shared with Pope Leo: "Just because it's a difficult period, I believe like we can alter how the story concludes - he appreciated that."
